With the increased use of computers and other electronic devices being commonplace in buildings and other structures, the installation of cables (such as cables used to provide voice, data and video distribution throughout building such as houses, condominiums, apartment complexes, schools and the like) has become an important part of both new construction and in renovating old buildings. Installation of electrical or other cables often involves feeding a number of cables through a length of ductwork or other conduits. As there are often numerous cables that must be installed, it is accordingly advantageous to bundle cables together to permit a plurality of cables to travel through the conduits or ductwork of the building at the same time. As different cables will need to be connected at different points in the building and to different cables, devices, or systems, it is important that the cables be easily separable for termination or connectorization.
One known way to bundle cables is to surround a plurality of cables with an outer jacket. The cables may be separated within the jacket through a central spline or similar device. While use of an outer jacket to cover the cables may work in certain situations, several problems have arisen during their use. First, in order to separate the cables for termination or connectorization, it is necessary to peel off the outer jacket resulting in, among other things, increased labor costs. Further, the use of an outer jacket increases the overall size and weight of the bundled cables.
Another known way to bundle cables is to tie a plurality of cables together using a plastic strap or tie having a locking mechanism on one end. Once the cables are tied together, they may be pulled through the ductwork or conduit. However, during installation, the cables tend to separate or pull apart, making it more difficult to pull the cables through the conduit and leading to possible damage to the cables.
Another known way to bundle cables is to weld the cables to an extruded rigid central spline. An example of such a system is the HomeChoice® Banana Peel™ products manufactured and sold by Belden Wire & Cable Co. of Richmond, Ind. However, it is often difficult to remove the individual cables from the central spline for termination or connectorization of the cables. Furthermore, the rigidity of the spline also makes the overall bundle of cables rigid, thereby making it more difficult to bend or otherwise maneuver the bundle during installation. The spline is also susceptible to cracking when the bundled cables are bent at cold temperatures.
Therefore, there is a need to produce a bundled cable that is flexible, lightweight and allows the cables to be easily removed for termination or connectorization, while being economical and easy to manufacture and install.